Circulation system for vulcanizers.



W. T. ALDRICH.

CIRCULATION SYSTEM FOR VULCANIZERS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 20. I916.

1,288,%6% Patented Dec. 24, 1918 UNITED %TAT% PATNT @FFIQE.

WILLIAM T. ALDRICH, 0F MILLVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS, A-SSIGNOR TO WOONSOCKET RUBBER COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF RHODE ISLAND.

CIRCULATION SYSTEM FOR VULCANIZERS.

Application filed June 20, 1916.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM T. Anonrou, a citizen of the United States, residing at Millville, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Circulation Systems for Vulcanizers, of

which the following is a full, clear, and

exact description.

This invention relates to vulcanizing apparatus, and more particularly to apparatus for circulating the vulcanizing medium in a vulcanizer.

One type of rulcanizer in general use, is provided with heating pipes on the sides. rear end and door. To uniformly heat the vulcanizing medium, such as G0,, a greater steam pressure is usually maintained in some of these pipes than in others. The present invent-ion obviates this as well as the necessity for steam pipes on the rear end and on the door of the vulcanizer.

The invention can be readily understood from the following description taken in connection With the accompanying drawing in which the figure is a longitudinal sectional view with parts in elevation. showing apparatus embodying my improvements.

In carrying out the invention, a shell 10 of similar shape and of smaller diameter than the vulcanizer 11, isdisposed Within the vulcanizer. and lies inside of the steam pipes 12. The shell is open at the end which confronts the door 13 of the vulcanizer. to permit. rubber articles on their forms. such as for instance, a car of lasted rubber boots or shoes. being run into the shell. The shell is provided with an opening 14: in the center of the rear end, and mounted in the opening 14 is a fan 15. in the present embodiment, the blades of the fan being disposed to suck the vulcanizing medium. such as for instance CO longitudinally through the shell and expel itthrough the vulcanizer outside of the shell around the steam pipes.

Thus the vnlcanizing medium is passed over the hot steam pipes continually and is uniformly heated throughout.

Moreover. the course of the heated vul canizing medium through the vnlcanizer in one direction and through the shell in the opposite direction as indicated by the arrow heads, necessitates the positive passage of the medium across the door and across the rear end of the vulcanizer. Thus these Specification of Letters latent.

Serial No. 104,654.

control apparatus for the steam pipes, may

be to a great extent dispensed with.

In operation, the articles to be vulcanized are placed within the shell 10 which forms a compartment that houses them during the vulcanizing operation. If desired, the vulcanizer may be evacuated by Withdrawing the air therefrom through the exhaust pipe 19 before the vulcanizing medium, under pressure or not, is admitted through the pipe 20. Steam is then admitted to the pipes 12 to heat the vulcanizing medium to the vulcanizing temperature. The fan is now started, or may be started at or prior to turning on the steam, and operates to suck the vulcanizing medium longitudinally through the shell and expel it outside of the shell longitudinally through the vulcanizer and around the pipes. The vulcanizing medium is thus uniformly heated and carried to all parts in the vulcanizing chamber or shell so that uniform density and a uniform degree of vulcanization throughout all parts of the rubber articles will be produced.

In the present embodiment the fan is provided with a shaft 16. which is revolubly mounted in a suitable bearing 17 formed in the rear end of the vulcanizer. and which is terminally equipped outside of the vnlcanizer with a pulley 18, to which power may be applied for driving the fan. However. any preferred mechanism for driving the fan may be substituted for that shown.

Patented Dec.24l,1l918.

Having thus described my invention, what for receiving the goods to be vulcanized. a

closure for said opening, means for heating the chamber, a chamber exterior to and surrounding the first chamber to provide a continuous, direction through said communicating openings.

2. An apparatus of the class described comprising a chamber-for vulcanizing goods therein, said chamber being open at one end for receivlng the goods to be vulcanized, a closure for said opening. a chamber exterior to and surrounding the first chamber to pro-- vide a jacket for said first chamber, said chambers being in communication with each other through remotely positioned openings, means for circulating the vulcanizing medium from one chamber to the other in a continuous direction through said openings,

and'means disposed in said second chamber for heating the medium.

3. An apparatus of the class described first shell when in closed position, a shaft extending through the wall of the exterior shell, a pulley mounted on the outer end of said shaft for driving same, and a fan mounted on the inner end and Within the opening of said inner shell opposite the receiving end for circulating the vulcanizing medium from one chamber to the other in a continuous directionthrough the open ings in said inner shell.

Signed at Millville, Massachusetts, this 16th day of June, 1916.

, VVILLI T. ALDRICH. 

